Linking Soil Organic Carbon and Soil Parameters in Shifting Cultivation Sites of Nagaland (North-East India)

Shifting cultivation is one of the oldest and most common agricultural practices in hilly states of North-east India, and a central element of land management and livelihoods for local people. In addition to maintaining agricultural biodiversity, shifting cultivation can influence soil health by driving soil nutrient losses and depleting soil organic carbon (SOC). Assessment of these ecosystem services is therefore important to determine the agronomic potential of cultivated soils. The present study was conducted in five soil profiles to assess soil properties and their relationship with SOC in selected shifting cultivation sites of Nagaland. The studied area was mainly underlain by Inceptisols and Entisols (suborders Humic Dystrudepts, Typic Dystrudepts, and Typic Udorthents) and soil texture varied across the different sites from clay to sandy clay loam, while the mean SOC content was 1.07% (range 0.32–2.67%) and decreased with soil depth. Soil organic carbon was significantly correlated with clay, clay ratio, total nitrogen, and cation exchange capacity. Since SOC, an indicator of overall soil quality and related to soil management, has chromogen properties, soil color attributes were also significantly correlated with SOC content (the darker the color the greater the SOC, and vice versa). This present study will help in providing information about the spatial variability of SOC in the eastern Himalayan region, which needs to be more precisely estimated, and provide insights into sustainable soil management in the areas where shifting cultivation is practiced.